Judging an SF Book by its Cover Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The modern version of the cover of this classic depicts an elderly man seated inside a blue cylinder inside two massive doors - which must be surely be somewhere on a planet called Trantor. Which book might this be?

Answer: Foundation

The man in the cylinder is Hari Seldon, the psychohistorian responsible for establishing the "Foundation" of the title. It's all about the fall of galactic civilisation, and his plan to shorten the barbaric interregnum that would inevitably follow. "Foundation" is among the most famous of Isaac Asimov's works - though it didn't earn him one of his (many) awards.

It's been through many editions - my personal copy has a writhing red mass against a black background (what were they thinking of?).

2. The cover of this book often shows a fair-skinned young man with dark hair - it would seem to be Valentine Michael Smith - against a deep blue background. A woman reaches down to him. Which of these is the title?

Answer: Stranger in a Strange Land

"Stranger in a Strange Land" is probably Robert Heinlein's most acclaimed novel, winning the Hugo Award for best novel in 1961 (that said, my personal favourite among his works is "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress"). It is the story of Valentine Michael Smith, a human child brought up among Martians, and what happens when he brought to Earth.

3. On the jacket of early editions of this book there is a rather pterodactyl-like golden dragon in flight against a green sky. A red globe hangs balefully in the sky. So which of these is the correct title?

Answer: Dragonflight

The cover art is by Michael Whelan, and is a well-known work in its own right. It was painted for "Dragonflight", the first-published of Anne McCaffrey's "Dragonriders of Pern" series. This novel was originally published as a series of award-winning novellas, beginning with "Weyr Search" which won the 1968 Hugo award for best novella. (And in case you're wondering, all the other titles are from the "Dragonriders of Pern series - but none has both the golden dragon and the red star on the cover of any edition I can find, mostly depicting fire lizards not dragons).

4. This cover shows an ice sculpture in a frozen wilderness against an alien night sky. The sculpture has two human faces, one male, and the other female. Which book can be found with this striking cover artwork?

Answer: The Left Hand of Darkness

Ursula K Le Guin's "The Left Hand of Darkness" won the 1969 Hugo for best novel. It follows the experiences of Genly Ai, envoy of the Ekumen, on a planet called Gethen, which means Winter. The cover reflects the dual nature of the humans on Gethen, who are androgynous, having the capability to become male or female.

5. On the jacket of this book is seen a woman in a naval uniform, a cat-like creature on her shoulder. Behind her you see a space station spinning against a pink nebulosity. Which book is this?

Answer: On Basilisk Station

The naval commander is Honor Harrington, the cat-like creature is a treecat, and the station is (not surprisingly) called Basilisk Station. "On Basilisk Station" is the first of Weber's popular Honorverse novels, and a ripping fine yarn about the adventures of Honor Harrington commanding the light cruiser HMS Fearless in defence of the Basilisk system. The entire text of this book can be downloaded, or read on line at the Baen Free Library.

6. In the words of one of the characters, the illustration on the cover of my copy of this book: "Looks like a star with a hoop around it". Which of these is its title?

Answer: Ringworld

"Ringworld" won the 1970 Hugo Award, and the 1971 Nebula Award for its author, Larry Niven. A ringworld is an artificial megastructure - a ring a million miles wide, and many millions of miles across, encircling its sun. That's a great deal of area to live in, and the story follows the exploration of the Ringworld by an unlikely group of adventurers. Needless to say, the covers of most editions of this book depict the Ringworld (although some show it from the point of view of the inhabitants).

7. Typically, the cover of this book shows a pair of monks in the foreground. Behind them is a mountain, on top of which a tall thin tower rises vertically into the heavens. What does the title read?

Answer: Fountains of Paradise

This is arguably one of Arthur C. Clarke's greatest works, winning both the Hugo and Nebula Awards in 1979. Set on a fictional island called Taprobane (which bears a certain resemblance to Sri Lanka), it is the story of the construction of the world's first space elevator. This giant structure is intended to rise from the ground and link with a satellite in geostationary orbit, carrying payloads to orbit much more cheaply than rockets. Unfortunately for its designer, those monks have prior claim on that mountain.

8. My copy of this novel has a cover illustration depicting a desert world. In the foreground is a man in concealing clothing so that all one can see is his eyes, which are a solid blue with no whites. In the background is a flying machine called an ornithopter. What does the title read?

Answer: Dune

Frank Herbert is so well known for the "Dune" series that fans often seem to forget that he wrote quite a lot of other novels - including those listed here. "Dune" is set on the desert planet also known as Arrakis, and is the story of Paul Atriedes, son of Duke Leto Atriedes - and that's enough. If you've read it, you'll know how complex it is, and if you haven't - you really should.

9. This cover depicts a watery alien planet. In the foreground are two humans in futuristic wetsuits with a pair of uplifted dolphins wearing their own 'suits'. What is this book called?

Answer: Startide Rising

Earning both the Hugo and Nebula awards for 1983, "Startide Rising" relates the tale of the Terran starship Streaker, crewed by uplifted dolphins, humans, and one uplifted chimpanzee. Uplift is the process of raising a presentient species to full sentience - and in Brin's universe, humans are remarkable for not having been uplifted. Streaker has made a remarkable discovery, and is now on the run, hiding on a planet called Kithrup.

10. My copy of this novel shows a series of horizontal human forms against a dark green background - in more recent editions, the human forms are still there, but the background now depicts a great river in a long valley with wide green banks flanked by high cliffs. Which SF classic has this cover art?

Answer: To Your Scattered Bodies Go

This is the first book of Philip Jos� Farmer's famous Riverworld series, and winner of the 1972 Hugo Award. The Riverworld is an artificial planet where what seems like all of humanity from every era of history awake, newly resurrected along the shores of a river which winds its way from pole to pole. And that's just the start.

Source: Author Flamis

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor trident before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

I'll describe the cover of a science fiction classic - in one of its editions. See if you can identify the correct book from the clues on the cover. (Believe me, you won't need to have the same edition to know the answer...)

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